The bench made this a complete rout. Terrence Williams was scoring and assisting. Kris Humphries was rebounding. Chris Douglas-Roberts was energizing. In all, the bench produced seven individual double-figure totals — getting 68 points, 21 assists, 27 rebounds. And while the subs had their on-court party, the starters and the rest of the bench were stomping and supporting.

And among the guys cheering hardest throughout the 115-87 stomping of the Hornets last night at the Meadowlands was Bobby Simmons, the Nets’ highest paid player but one of their least utilized.

“I see it, especially me when I make a pass I look over there,” said Williams (14 points, career-high 14 of the Nets’ season-high 34 assists). “It’s easier for a bench to play well then you have [that] support.”

In a season of historic futility, Simmons has played in 23 games — none since Jan. 5. The ninth season pro wants to play, but developing youth has taken precedence. So supporting those on the court — like when he burst from his seat, fist pumping after a sensational Devin Harris block from behind — is one of Simmons’ roles. Some would rage against the management machine but Simmons has stayed calm all season, one that for frustration, ranks with 2006-07 when he sat the entire campaign with injury.

“That doesn’t solve anything,” Simmons, 29, said of a show of anger. “That’s never been the case with me. They know I’ve been a hard-working guy my whole career. There’s no reason for it to change now. If you’re a jerk here, then 29 other teams see you as a jerk.”

Being inactive last night when the Nets shot a season-high .582 and had eight double-figure scorers, ran Simmons’ “did not play” streak to 42 games, dating to a six minute cameo against Milwaukee on Jan. 5. That game ended a run of five straight he didn’t play.

“It can be tough,” he said. “I’m trying to handle it as professionally as possible.”

The lack of time isn’t the only weight on Simmons’ shoulders. All season, he has tended to an ailing older sister who has been in and out of hospital wards (doing well now). Perhaps the lasting image of Simmons this season came in a front page newspaper photo showing him laughing on the bench. The headline suggested he was laughing about an $11 million no-show job.

“Everyone misunderstood the headlines,” said Simmons, who came to the Nets as part of the Richard Jefferson-for Yi Jianlian trade. “If [people] understood the situation, they wouldn’t say what they say. I can’t control the number of minutes I play a night. Of course, I want to play as much as possible.”

But the Nets are looking at a future that contains Williams and Courtney Lee and Brook Lopez, not Simmons.

“Bobby has been very professional under tough circumstances,” general manager/interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe said. “But he’s come to work every day. That’s why you have veterans like Bobby in these situations because they’re great character guys.”